A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an emergency eyewash apparatus designed to flush harmful contaminants from the eyes and/or face. More specifically, this invention relates to an emergency eyewash apparatus which is more readily operable by a person whose cognitive faculties (sight, smell orientation) are adversely affected by contaminants or caustics. The claimed apparatus is adapted to be installed on a top of a surface next to a sink either in a left or right hand position and activated by simply pulling rotatable swing piping equipped with spray heads.
B. Description of the Related Art
Emergency eyewash devices are generally known in the art for emergency flushing of hazardous substances out of human eyes and face. Usually, such a device includes one or more spray nozzles or spray heads installed on water piping associated with water supply lines. Typically, water flow is initiated by pushing an enlarged push plate that opens a valve in the water supply line, such as described in Wright U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,315.
Other approaches to initiating flow to an eyewash are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,999,249, 5,530,972 and 5,740,569. In each of these patents, the eyewash apparatus is arranged adjacent a sink and flow to, and through, the eyewash is initiated by rotating the piping associated with the eyewash from a stored position outside the perimeter of the sink to a position over the sink. In these prior art devices, piping leading from the water source to the eye wash outlets is arranged to be pivoted in such a way that a slight pull by the user causes rotation of the piping to a position over the sink, which automatically initiates water flow through the eye wash nozzles. The pivotal piping is normally rotated through about ninety degrees between its non-use storage position to its active position over the sink. This rotation can be from the left or right side of sink depending on preselected installation. Stopping means are used to limit the pivotal movement of the piping and adjustment means are disclosed in these patents for accommodating installation at either the left or right side of the sink.
Various approaches to accommodate left side, right side or pull down mounting of the eyewash on a sink are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,972 issued to Tanner. This patent also addresses the need for stops to limit the amount of rotation (usually 90xc2x0) when the piping bearing the eye wash is rotated from a storage position into an operating position over the sink (See FIGS. 4-5 and column 4 of Tanner patent). This patent also discloses pivotably mounted protective covers for the eyewash nozzles to limit collection of dust, dirt or contaminants in the eyewash nozzles between use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,569 granted in the name of Albert Gurries et al. on Apr. 21, 1998 describes an arrangement for left side or right side mounting of an emergency eyewash adjacent to a sink and pivotal movement thereof over the sink. As in the Tanner patent, complex means are provided to limit rotation of the piping carrying the eye wash nozzles to 90xc2x0.
An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an emergency eyewash apparatus with increased reliability in use and improved safety in functioning.
Another object of the invention is to provide easy and simple mounting when reversible installation is desired.
A further object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus which is simple in maintenance owing to simplified assembly.
In accordance with the invention, the eyewash apparatus comprises tubular piping with spray heads attached thereto, a rotatable housing carrying said piping overlying a shank affixed to a surface adjacent the sink, a vertical valve rotatably connected to the housing carrying the piping and a water supply pipe.
The piping with spray heads is capable of being rotated with the valve about a vertical axis. Typical rotation of the piping and associated valving is about 90xc2x0, and is controlled by an arcuate slot in a housing overlying the valve. An adjustably mounted pin in the housing extends through the slot to limit movement of the housing carrying the piping. The arcuate slot and associated pin are designed to permit left or right hand installation of the eyewash, in relation to the sink bowl.
Concentrically aligned within the housing carrying the eye wash piping is a valve, preferably a ceramic valve of the type disclosed in Denham et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,770 assigned to Speakman Company of Wilmington, Del. This valve operates between full-open and full-close with a simple 90xc2x0 rotation of the valve stem and is of the non-rising type because control of flow is accomplished without vertical movement of the valve stem. This valve is especially suited for use in this eyewash apparatus because its rotation corresponds to that of the eyewash piping when swung from a stored to fall flow position over the sink or bowl.
In operation, the piping arm with spray heads thereon is normally disposed in a non-use position alongside the sink, so that the valve is in a no-flow position. When the eyewash needs to be activated, e.g., to wash contaminants from the eyes or face of a user, the piping connecting the valve to the eyewash is rotated about a vertical axis that preferably passes through the vertical axis of the valve. This rotation of the piping is translated to the stem of the aforementioned valve. Because the valve can be fully opened with a mere 90xc2x0 rotation of its stem (See column 2, lines 38-40 of Dehnam et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,770) full water flow through the eyewash is accomplished by a corresponding 90xc2x0 rotation of the piping from its stored position into place over the sink. Conversely, to halt flow of water, the piping can be rotated 90xc2x0 back to its storage position.
Use of this non-rising valve with ceramic discs provides an extremely reliable operation for the eyewash. As noted in Denham et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,770, the ceramic valve disclosed in that patent is extremely durable (over 2,000,000 cycles without failure or leakage) and requires very little force to operate. This provides a more reliable control of water through the eyewash than the valving in U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,972 (FIG. 5) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,569 (FIG. 3).
The eyewash can be positioned on either the left or right side of a sink or bowl without adjustments or changes to the eyewash apparatus. This evenhandedness is facilitated by a valve shank fixed and mounted on a surface adjacent the sink or bowl. The housing to which the eyewash piping is attached overlies the portion of the shank extending above the surface adjacent the sink. An adjustable pin in the sidewall of that housing can be rotated so that it extends into an arcuate slot in the shank. The slot typically extends across a 90xc2x0 arc on the outside surface of the shank. Rotation of the housing carrying the eyewash piping is thereby limited to 90xc2x0 rotation (from storage to a position over the sink) by the pin in the sidewall of the housing reaching either end of the arcuate slot.
If the eyewash apparatus is to be mounted on the left side of the sink, the arcuate slot in the shank is positioned on the countertop next to the sink so that the piping can be rotated in a clockwise direction (when viewed by a person looking into the sink). When mounted on the right side of the sink, the shank is positioned on the countertop so that the arcuate slot permits counterclockwise rotation. Since evenhandedness is obtained by this orientation of the shank when the eyewash is installed, the same apparatus can be used for either left or right handed positioning of the apparatus. There is no need for the cumbersome and complex adjustments shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,972.
When the position of the eyewash apparatus needs to be changed from the left to right side or vice versa, a locator pin extending from the supporting shank into the surface adjacent to sink is released from its fixed position on that surface. The supporting shank of the apparatus is rotated, about a vertical axis by the angle of 90xc2x0, and then the shank is fixed onto the surface on the opposite side of the sink or bowl by the same position locating pin. By this arrangement of the shank, the arcuate slot in the shank is oriented relative to the sink so that stop ends in the slot for stop pin carried on the housing are also shifted.
Inside the upper side of the housing is a splined female opening that mates with the splined end of a valve stem on the ceramic valve described above. Rotation of the piping attached to the housing is thereby transmitted to the valve so that water flow through the valve into the interior portions of the shank and then through the piping to the spray heads, is initiated. Counter rotation of the piping in the opposite direction, shuts off the valve and water flow. Rotational movement of the spray heads and associated piping is limited by abutment of the pin in the housing reaching either end of the arcuate slot in the shank.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.